[AC] Mysteria #7

>From Artifice Comics:
http://www.digitallymystic.com/sites/fiction/ac/

---

She almost turned back. Then, she thought of those loving eyes, that
million dollar smile, and the fact that she had thrown all of it away.
That was enough to keep her standing in line as she slowly approached
the ticket booth. After all, it was just a short plane ride to Pacific
City that should be pleasant enough; it was the idea of going back
that had her nervous. Of climbing those steps again and opening those
heavy doors, hearing her shoes tick off the marble floors. And, most
of all, what worried her was finally facing up to her daughter.
Finally trying to make up for her old mistakes. Finally making amends.
What exactly could she say? It had been over twenty years since she
left...

She smiled at the young red-headed woman standing behind her, and,
then, Layla Burke fished her credit cards out of her purse. One way or
another, she was going home today.

Mysteria #7
"Romance And Absence"
by Robert Flynn

"Victoria?" Crowley stood slowly, his knees popping. "I have a name
for you. Stevens. Stevenson. First name starts with an A. Somebody you
know anyway. The whole thing's a mess right now. I hate doing this
after s.," he trailed off. "..Sleeping. After sleeping."

She nodded. "And, that's all you got? Damn it, Jack! I...," she
paused. "I'm sure you're tried. I think I have a suspect now anyway.
Thank you." She turned and started for the window before looking back
at him. "And, Jack...I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, too. Honest."

She nodded and leapt out the window. He turned and wandered back
towards the bedroom, muttering under his breath about how he hated it
when people just dropped in.

* * *

Victoria set down outside the mansion. Now that she had an idea of who
was after her, she could safely go out with Cindy tonight. It would
not have done for some villain to attack her during dinner, but, if
her suspicions were correct, then she had nothing to worry about.
Stevenson was a screw-up anyway. If the man couldn't keep his
department's reports straight, there was no way he could arrange a
successful assassination.

She shook her head; it made sense in a way, though. She knew someone
on the board had been against her and had been leaking secrets,
rumors, and lies to the media. It must have been Stevenson, and, after
seeing that she was serious about finding and stopping that leak, he
had decided to have her removed from the picture. Well, she'd see who
would do the removing after she had her night out with Cindy.

* * *

"He is risking all of our plans by going off on his own like this!"
Daggon yelled into the phone. "There are more ways to win than
immediate gratification! But, Stevenson is putting them all in
jeopardy! We can't have him running around half-cocked, trying to be
the big man. He's part of this, and we ALL need to agree on what we
are doing."

The voice on the other end of the phone babbled its agreement.

"We have to remove him from the equation without implicating
ourselves." Daggon began to pace. "That will be tough since he can-"

The voice cut him off.

Daggon stopped, listening intently to the speaker. "Good. Then, here
is what we'll do."

* * *

Layla asked the stewardess to bring her another drink and continued
talking with the young Asian woman at her side. "It's been so long
since I've been to Pacific City...over twenty years. I hear it's
become a much more dangerous place. All those strange people with
powers. I worry about my daughter being out there in the middle of
that. Millennium Man is the worst; he always was." She bit her lip,
her expression going sour. "But, now, these new ones - that Mysteria
woman; the man dressed as the American president."

The red-headed Asian nodded, sipping her own drink and smiled at
Layla. "If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have criminals crawling
out of the woodwork, constantly fighting to prove themselves. We
wouldn't have had those problems with Mayor Jerrod or those new freaks
who have taken over, and we wouldn't have high property damage and
murder rates. Honestly, what sort of person puts on a costume and goes
out to hit people? It sounds very...deviant if you ask me. But,
personally, I disagree: Millennium Man is bad, certainly, but Mysteria
and the Silver Shadow are worse. Millennium Man knew enough to quit.
Hopefully, that psycho will stay retired and take the rest of these
super 'heroes' with him."

Layla smiled; this was someone who could at least grasp her point of
view. "You're from P.C. as well?"

"Not originally, no. But, I have..." She paused as if looking for the
word and gave Layla a strange grin. "Estranged family there. So I'm
getting myself situated before I make my introductions. I just had
some things to do out of town this weekend, business to take care
of..."

Layla nodded. "If I can ask, what buisness are you in, Miss...?"

The red-headed woman chuckled. "Just call me Emma. And, I acquire
antiques for private collectors." She smiled that strange smile again.
"In fact, I have a very unique sword that will be getting its own
public showing soon."

* * *

Victoria stepped from the shower and grabbed the blow-dryer; she
needed to be ready immediately, for her meeting with Cindy was only
twenty minutes away. She quickly styled and dried her locks as she
made her way to the large walk in closet in her bedroom. She pulled
the doors open and, disgusted, kicked a rubber mask that lay inside
the door. Alfonse must have been making Jeffery do house chores again.

She sighed and grabbed a light blue dress; a moment later, she had the
matching shoes and bag. She got dressed with quick and practiced ease,
and, in a moment's time, she was once again the ever-perfect Victoria
Burke. Some people swore she never did so much as lift her spoon
herself out of fear of messing up her look. If they only knew the
things she did.

Victoria smiled and did a slow turn in the dress, checking to make
sure it looked as good on her as it did the hanger; then, she tossed
that ridiculous mask into the hallway and went off to dinner.

* * *

Alfonse picked the rubber mask up out of the hall and reminded himself
to tell Mr. Carter that he needed to keep his extras put away. He
began to walk down the hall toward the room where Carter was staying
when he heard something from the bedroom beside him. Victoria's
bedroom.

"Victoria? Did you come back?" He opened the door and stepped inside.
Noticing a green flame swirling within the darkness, he snarled and
rolled to towards the nearest wall. "Right then, who have we there?"

A scaled individual hovered several feet before him, a glistening ring
throwing a hazy green light from its left hand. "I am the Jade Dragon.
Where is Victoria Burke? I have come for her head. I hear it has
become a very popular item on the black market recently."

"She isn't home, but, if you'd care to leave a message..." Alfonse
flung the Bush mask at the Dragon, whose attention was diverted from
the flying plastic. With the sweep of a clawed hand, the mask fell to
the ground, shredded. When the assassin returned looked back up,
Alfonse was gone.

"Come out, old man." It chuckled. "I won't hurt you...at least not
badly. It's Burke I want. No one cares about ol' Jeeves, the decrepit
butler."

"Actually," Alfonse said from behind. "Worry about me hurting you." He
grabbed the creature about its neck. In one fluid motion, the neck was
jerked back and snapped instantly. "Damn fool. Now, I have another
body to hide. Should have let you live long enough to find out who
hired you." Alfonse sighed and dragged the body out into the hallway.
"Oh well...I have too much to clean up to bother with interrogating
someone now anyway."

* * *

"I'll have the lobster. What about you, Victoria?"

"Hmm?" Victoria looked up from her menu for a moment, startled. "Oh,
um...I'll just have the Chicken Alfredo."

The waiter nodded and stepped away to place their orders.

"Are you all right, Victoria?" Cindy asked, sounding worried. "You
seem very distracted."

"I'm fine," Victoria assured. "Just a bit of a headache...I'll be all
right."

"I hope so. You don't look well at all. You're so pale. You haven't
been getting much sleep, have you?"

"Cindy, I'm fine," Victoria repeated with a smile. "Honestly. I'm just
having a headache."

"So, tell me about this man of yours." Cindy returned the smile.

"Jack?" Victoria asked, surprised.

"Is that his name?" Cindy questioned.

"Yes. How did you know I had a boyfriend?" 

Cindy laughed. "I can tell you're daydreaming about someone. Besides,
Alfonse mentioned him. A detective? Honestly, Victoria...hardly your
style."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Victoria asked with a little snap.

"That you've never liked blue collar guys," Cindy responded frankly.
"You date billionaires and male models. This detective must be
something else."

"Trust me," Victoria said happily. "He is. Incredible, brave, a
gentlemen..."

* * * 

Crowley stubbed another cigarette out on the arm of the chair and
tried to decide what to do with the brain-fried blonde on the bedroom
floor. He could have another go and then just drop her off somewhere,
but that was just too necrophiliac for his taste. He had been there
and done that - it wasn't something he enjoyed. Still, she was an
attractive airhead. Too bad her friends didn't join in the fun.

* * *

"...an amazing lover," Victoria finished.

Cindy nodded. "Well, sounds like he is quite the man."

"He is. Oh, believe me, he is." Victoria sipped her water.

Cindy sighed, "I knew a man like that once...had something of a bad
boy streak to him. You'd be surprised how many women that man had. I
know I wasn't the only one."

"Cindy!" Victoria exclaimed, blushing.

"What?" Cindy smirked. "I was young once; I understand the way you
feel."

"I just...wow..."

"What? Just because I'm an opera singer - and a famous bit of high
society at that - means I'm not a normal woman?" Cindy asked,
rhetorically. "Face it, Victoria: you aren't the first woman to fall
for a regular, working guy."

"I guess not," Victoria muttered, laughing. "So, this man you
had...anyone I know?"

Cindy smiled. "I'm not going to name names, Victoria. But, he was
amazing."

"Okay, someone I know then." Victoria burst out laughing, and the
waiter gave them a strange look as he set their dinners on the table.
They only laughed harder when they caught his bewildered expression...

"Yes, Victoria, you know him."

"But, you won't tell me who?" Victoria questioned.

"No, I won't."

"Fair enough."

* * *

Layla stumbled off the plane and waved to Emma who nodded and waved
back. Layla grinned and slowly made her way out of the terminal and to
the street. After several minutes, she managed to hail a taxi.

"Where to, lady?"

"The Burke Estate..." Layla muttered, leaning back in her seat. "The
Burke Estate."

"Sure thing."

* * *

Alfonse had just dropped the last of the green limbs into the
incinerator when he heard the doorbell. He pulled the bloody rubber
gloves from his hands and, whistling too himself, walked to the front
door. He paused briefly, looking out the eyehole to assure himself
that it wasn't another assassin, and went dead pale. After over twenty
years, Layla Burke was home.